It's easy for competitors to copy your skills, but hard for them to copy your authentic personality. Paul Jarvis dedicates an entire chapter of his book (Company of One) to personality. He writes... Personality – the authentic you that traditional business has taught you to suppress under the guise of 'professionalism' – can be [...]
e-Signatures are better than physical signatures in most situations. Here's what you should know. Most e-signatures are valid The ESIGN Act (the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act) was signed into law in 2000. Moreover, most states have adopted some from of the UETA (the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act). In general, these [...]
You can't afford to get this part of your contract wrong. Here's how to do it right! First, an intro to why this matters... The party to a contract is the person or business responsible for all of the obligations in the contract. Thus, if an obligation isn't performed, the named party is the [...]
Do you know the answer? Are you sure your answer is right? If not, here are some tips to finding the right answer. The Default Rule This part is pretty easy–the person that creates an original work will own the copyright to that work unless one of the exceptions below applies. Three Exceptions There [...]
Writing numbers two (2) times in contracts is a really dangerous thing to do. Here's why.... Just last week, I was reviewing a contract that said "two thousand dollars ($3,000)." Had I not caught that, my client and the other party would have signed a contract with a clear ambiguity. Is it $2,000 or [...]
Writing a contract is easy when you follow these five simple rules. 1. Use "Shall" to Create Obligations An obligation is something a party must do. You should use “shall” to create obligations. (Obligations also create “rights” on the other side. In this example, Bob has a right to expect Gene to perform.) Example: [...]
When you apply for a trademark, it's important to understand your options because they impact the fees you'll pay. Actual Use v. Intent to Use Broadly speaking, there are two types of trademark applications: Actual Use: If you file based on actual use of a mark in commerce, you will usually only pay one [...]
Kansas City is "on a roll" and our next mayor should keep it rolling! According to Mayoral Candidate Jolie Justus, Kansas City is "on a roll" and I agree wholeheartedly. What's important is that our new mayor (who we will elect this summer) keep that ball rolling! Of course, we have plenty of issues [...]
Five years ago I took a huge risk–I left a comfortable job at a mid-size law firm in Kansas City. Since then, I started and sold a law firm marketing company, grown Venture Legal into a sustainable law firm, and started Contract Canvas (a digital contract platform for freelancers). My wife and I also [...]
"In order for Kansas City to become the most entrepreneurial city in America, we must first transform education to produce innovative thinkers." I had the amazing opportunity to serve as a judge in yesterday's MECA Challenge sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. In short, the MECA Challenge provides opportunities for [...]